1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a portable terminal, and more particularly to an antenna apparatus for a portable terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a portable terminal refers to a device for providing wireless communication between users or between a user and a service provider through telecommunication base stations. Users can use various functions, for example, voice communication, short message sending, mobile banking, watching television (TV), and various contents, such as online games, Video On Demand (VOD), etc., through a portable terminal.
Portable terminals are generally classified into bar-type terminals, flip-type terminals, and folder-type terminals according to their appearances. Bar-type terminals have input/output devices, such as a communication circuit, a transmitter, a receiver, etc., in a housing. Flip-type terminals have a bar-type body on which a flip cover is mounted. Folder-type terminals have a pair of housings coupled to each other to rotatably fold on and unfold from each other, on which input and output devices are dispersedly mounted, respectively. On the other hand, sliding-type terminals and the like have recently appeared, and are used along with folder-type terminals for improving portability of portable terminals and convenience of users. There are persistent efforts to satisfy various needs of users.
In addition, mobile communication services for a portable terminal, such as online games, transmission of moving picture files, mobile banking, VOD, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), etc., have been diversified. As use of portable terminals becomes general and needs of users vary, it is possible to commercialize services for providing various contents through portable terminals. As a result, mobile communication services have been diversified.
On the other hand, as DMB receiving functions, as well as mobile communication services, are added to portable terminals, antenna assembly installation difficulties have occurred in portable terminals. In particular, frequency bands of 800 MHz or 1.8 GHz are typically used for mobile communication services according to service providers. In DMB services, the frequency band of 174˜216 MHz is typically used for terrestrial DMB services, and the frequency band of 2.6 GHz is typically used for satellite DMB services. In order to use different frequency bands for services, such as mobile communication and DMB services and the like, using a portable terminal, an antenna apparatus which is suitable for each service is needed.
However, it is very difficult to equip a portable terminal with antenna apparatuses which have operating characteristics distinguished from each other. Even though such antennae are equipped in portable terminals, these prevent compactness of portable terminals. Further, portable terminals, which have separate antennae for receiving DMB, have appeared. A separate antenna may be detachably assembled with a portable terminal according to necessity of a user. However, since users must carry a separate antenna module as well as the portable terminal, separate antennae causes degradation of portability of portable terminals.
Furthermore, in portable terminals having either a mobile communication service or a DMB service, an external antenna protrudes out of the portable terminals, thereby hurting the aesthetic quality of the portable terminals. In addition, the external antenna may be damaged. An internal antenna has a problem of degrading communication quality in comparison with the external antenna.